Thursday, July 09, 2015

I've missed you! It's summer. Noah has been out of school for a month now. Day camp has just started, so I'm trying to blog again. I hope to post more frequently!

You've given me an idea though. So many of you have asked if I had old pictures from the beginning of my gray hair journey, especially pictures of my short pixie cut. I always refer people back to a few of my original gray hair posts, but there aren't many photos. While I was sorting through my Flickr account recently, I realized that I've taken SO MANY pictures of my hair these past years. A SHAMEFUL, EMBARRASSING AMOUNT of pictures. :)

I'm the first to admit that the number of hair "selfies" is a bit on the self-indulgent,crazy side, but I think that I have THREE very legit reasons for taking these pictures and none of them include the reason of purely being for social media strutting. (Phew!)

So for my newly silver "Silver Sisters," and for those of your who have already traveled this bumpy road, I give to you THE END ALL AND BE ALL OF A GRAY HAIR BLOG POSTS - IN PHOTOS!!!! (Remember, I'm already apologizing for the nauseating amount of selfies, ok)?

I put together a chronologically ordered album for you on Flickr. Here's a brief description of the album:

Hi, my name is Lauren. I write on my blog called How Bourgeois, often times about my journey as a girl going gray. I didn't really want to be this gray, this young, (I started in my early 20's and now I'm 38) but increasingly severe allergic reactions to all kinds of hair dye put a stop to coloring. I tried henna for a couple of years, and while it was neat, the work each month, the hours and the smell of wet hay just wasn't worth it in the long run.

I'm the first to admit that this photo-album is a bit crazy. I SWEAR, I'm not selfie-obsessed. I'm really not! What I am, is somebody who's been documenting my journey. I've snapped quite a few pics, sometimes for hair stories on the blog, sometimes for myself to remember a certain way I styled my hair and sometimes just for posterity. You know, to remember the good times and the bad times of all this going gray.

It was other women, other Silver Sisters, who helped ME get through my own transition, especially in the times that I felt so low and incredibly embarrassed to leave my house.

So, I'm putting this album out there for you newbie and want-to- be sisters, in hopes that it might show you what it is like along the way. AND, to prove that it's not so so bad- that in fact, life with gray can be OK!

Sending love and silver cheer!!!

xoxoxox,

Lauren"

Each picture comes with a short description, story or insight about going gray and what you might experience along the way. I hope you like it!

20 comments:

I love this history in pictures--you are such an inspiration. The captions you wrote are so touching. I love how you wrote about times you didn't feel great about your looks--I can totally relate (who can't?). But you hung in there and things got better--they always do, right? Like you said, it's just hair. Your message about embracing your authentic self is just beautiful--like you! I'm so glad you're out there and I found your blog. I'm 4 months color-free :)

You look beautiful. I'm going through it myself and many times I've almost went and had it colored, but I didn't!! I'm always amazed at how total strangers will compliment it, but friends will sometimes say, oh it makes you look older!! Thanks for the inspiration to keep on keeping on!!

So much fun to see all the pictures of your gr8t journey! I can honestly say that you are even more beautiful with silver hair! Your skin looks younger and your eyes just pop! I have been meaning to tell you that I have tried a few of your skin care favorites, and I just love the Neutrogena Rapid Repair Night Moisturizer, and the Argon Oil shampoo and conditioner...thank you and I will be trying more of your suggestions soon. Love your blog, and thanks for all your hard work and time! Delaine

Thank you Lauren! Just gorgeous! I am one month in and it is exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. I am taking Sunday selfies and it is amazing in just three pictures how much gray is coming in. Every time I need a cheerleader, I come to your site. Thanks again, it really helps to see someone else who is young go through this and come out OK in the end. My scalp is breathing a sigh of relief at this point too! Yay!

Thanks for these fabulous ,inspiring pictures.I am just at the start of my journey and am getting so many negative comments ! I really need to look at pictures like yours every day to remind me that my inch of seriously neglected roots (that I'm trying to justify to everyone,) will eventually look better. I just hope my grey is as superb looking as yours when it eventually grows through. Love your blog.Bernadette

Hi Lauren, I wanted to tell you that I love your blog! You are an inspiration to women!I wanted to alert you that a salon is using one of your photos. Here is the link to the site. http://kimberlyirenesalon.com/going-grey/Not sure if they have your permission or not, figured i'd tell you none the less..

Hello Sweet Lauren, I think you are the bees knees! You are so brave to put everything out there for all of us to see! I take a peek at your photos almost daily to help me through my own transition! You also have inspired me to follow my journey through pictures as well. This is a big deal. I didn't think that growing out my gray at 39 would really be this huge, but it is. Between the looks and the comments, sometimes I feel like just putting a paper bag over my head! So, thanks for being my friend to lean on when I'm ready to cry my eyes out because some meanie just told me I look like a 80 yo! Like you, I know the end result will be worth it. Im at my 8 month mark and I feel like I look crazy! I just might go for it and get a pixie! I love that you are different and honest. Your photos are great and don't feel embarrassed that you have so many! Just think how many people you are inspiring with all those photos! You're the best! Valerie

Thank you so so soooooo much for all of your comments. I'm incredibly behind and truly want to reply to each and everyone of you. I promise to do that as soon as I can find some more slow time. Just wanted to say THANK YOU! And that I love reading your stories and that your support means the world.

Ana, thank you! I have no idea! I might write and ask them to not use my pic. Thank you for looking out for me. Love all of you!!! Talk soon!!!xoxoxoxoxoxoxox, Lauren

Hello! I just turned 30 and started getting some greys, so I came here for inspiration. I was happily surprised to see you're a Michigan girl like me! :) Just wanted to say I think you look awesome- You and your hair looks so cool and unique!

Thanks, that's so sweet of you to say. I hope your grays are going well. It's interesting because you never know exactly what shade or pattern you're going to get until everything comes in. It's kind of a fun surprise.

Hi Lauren! I've never commented before, but I started reading your blog about 2 years ago when I decided to grow out dye (my natural hair is not gray, but it's fairly light and my dyed hair was black). It was such a rough first year, I read your "going gray" posts about a hundred times to help me get through it. As I said, even though I wasn't going gray, the process to grow out dye felt exactly the same. Your posts were such an inspiration. I've been dye free for 2 years now! Thank you so much for sharing your "going gray" journey! I can't even express how much your posts help me grow out my own dyed hair.

Oh Ash, you wrote such a beautiful post. Thank you! I'm tearing up and full of gratitude for your words. :)I'm soooooo glad that the posts could help you along your way. I can just imagine that it was very similar to growing out your gray. It couldn't have been easy, so three cheers for you!!! :)

Thank you so much again for saying what you did, for stopping by to write and for reading too. I feel really lucky.xoxoxoxox,

That was great, and made me feel so hopeful! I'm 46 and finally growing out my gray, and sometimes I love it and sometimes I feel like an ancient old crone. I cut my hair into a pixie so now I have the double whammy of about 3 inches of gray hair and a short style I don't like - so your pictures were terrific to let me know that by the time my hair gets a bit longer I just might look fabulous! You certainly do!

Lauren - I am so delighted to have found your blog while searching how to begin to go gray, at the age of 45, after coloring my hair for 20+ years. I am just at the beginning...but already have a decent little skunk-stripe working! Sure wish ther was a fast-forward button! I know the journey will be long but I have found your story to be so inspirational, your gray hair is gorgeous! I truly appreciate all the advice and recommendations for products and methods you've tried. I was actually inspired to start my own blog, (something else I've never done before!) just to document my experience. http://grayhairdontcareblog.blogspot.com Thank you again!!

Hey Lauren, I was too impatient to let the gray come in naturally so I went platinum (which I hated) and last night, we went silver! My stylist mixed in three shades, matched my natural colors and I LOOK AMAZING!!! I love it more than I ever could have imagined, Your pics are what I've been showing her and I have to say, we are almost twinsies. Thank you thank you thank you for being the brave soul who walked this path before me.Kelly

I just have to say your hair is so beautiful! I am doing the same thing as you. I started to get grey hair at 14 and now at 36 i am done dying! I am growing my hair from a buzz cut. You are my hair inspiration:) I love the colour on you! It looks great!! I think i have about the same amount of grey and white as you.